AI Talent Plunge: Mercor Contractors on Meta Project See Pay Slashed 25% Amid Tech Cost Cuts

An AI talent platform called Mercor recently cut many contractors. These workers supported a large AI project, likely for Meta. The cuts came with a huge surprise: a sharp pay reduction. The hourly rate dropped from about $21 to only $16.

This sudden change caused great anger among the contractors. Many felt the decision was unprofessional. They were initially promised a longer contract at the higher rate. The pay cut represents a major loss of income for these experts.

This move reflects a bigger trend in the tech industry. Big companies are spending billions on AI development. However, they are also trying to cut labor costs sharply. The immense cost of building AI infrastructure forces these budget cuts. It shows that even in the booming AI sector, contract work remains unstable.